Kill 



. , ^ , . 



. ' Wtm\ 



i§ 



i ii 
MHH 



Mil 



•Mill 



MM 



illi 

111 II 



V 




Class 
Book 



)U$4£. 



JL£ 



Copyright ft° 






COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 



THINKING 
HEAVENWARD 



By Lillian De Waters 

AUTHOR OF 

JOURNEYING ONWARD 

WITHIN THE VEIL 

GLAD TIDINGS 



\ 



DAVIS & BOND 
Publishers ; Boston 



)^ 3 



Copyright, 1908, by Lillian De Waters 
Copyright^ JQfj, by Lillian De Waters 



■ 
■A3 3 f91| 



Lincoln & Smith Press, Boston 



LC Control Number 




tmp96 027200 



Behold, I stand at the door, and 
JcnocJc : if any man hear my voice, and 
open the door, I will come in to him, 
and will sup with him, and he with me. 

He that overcometh shall inherit all 
things; and I will be his God, and he 
shall be my son. 

— Revelation. 



THINKING 
HEAVENWARD 

Think you that we all know Thought 
the power of thought, or know it *° 
even in a degree? The Bible 
says, and says truly, that " as a 
man thinketh, so is he." We are 
exactly what thought has made 
us; no more, no less. Upon the 
mental condition depends all 
else. 

Error is wrong thinking. One Seif-satis- 
of the subtlest errors, common hindrance 
to many, is the error of self -sat- to progress, 
isf action. How often have we 
heard it said: " The religion that 
was good enough for my par- 
ents is good enough for me." 
But does this person think that 
[i] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

the candles which his parents 
used are good enough for him? 
Are the stage coaches good 
enough for him? Does he not 
delight in the use of the tele- 
phone, the automobile, and the 
electric train? It behooves us to 
be consistent, and to rejoice that 
we may be numbered among the 
growing throng, progressing in 
the onward march of thought. 

Forsaking We can all have the compan- 

the old ionship of good thoughts. Is 

new. there one who does not desire 

health, happiness, and prosper- 
ity? Then let us " put off the 
old man with his deeds (lay aside 
all wrong thinking)"; and let 
us " put on the new man which 
is renewed in knowledge (regen- 
erated by right thoughts) after 
the likeness of him that created 
him." 

[*] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

Do we know that every evil Will i n g ne8 s 
thought which we think reacts to forsake 
against us until we have paid the thinking, 
penalty or suffered in propor- 
tion to the evil thought? Do we 
realize that each thought which 
we think will bring forth " fruit 
after his kind"? Indeed, we 
may not all be " like unto whited 
sepulchers," but should each of 
us look within, we would cer- 
tainly see some error which 
needs to be eradicated. Wrong 
thinking lets in errors of all 
sorts. "If ye be willing and 
obedient, ye shall eat of the good 
of the land." First, then, we 
must be willing to part with 
wrong thinking. The prophet 
Jeremiah declared that it is our 
sins which withhold good things 
from us. In the parable of the 
prodigal, the father did not run 
to meet his son until the son had 
[3] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

abandoned his false way, and 
had come to him in meekness 
and in humility. 



Evils of the 

human 
mind must 
be eradi- 
cated. 



Every school-boy knows that 
a mistake, to be corrected, must 
be detected, erased, and the 
truth placed in its stead. If we 
are cherishing thoughts of mal- 
ice, hate, hypocrisy, revenge, 
jealousy, resentment, self -right- 
eousness, self-love, self -justifica- 
tion, self-will, pride, or criticism, 
let us be as willing, nay, as anx- 
ious, to forsake these evils as we 
are to fly from some robber or 
thief. For do not these wrong 
thoughts rob us of our peace of 
mind, our joy, happiness and 
health? And will they not steal 
from us our sincerity, humility, 
meekness and purity? " Ac- 
quaint now thyself with Him, 
and be at peace." That count- 

[4] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

less millions are not at peace, but 
are sick, sinful, and dying, shows 
conclusively that they are not 
properly acquainted with God. 
That many thousands are mani- 
festing greater love, greater 
health and happiness, greater 
holiness, peace, and prosperity, 
shows that the world is advanc- 
ing and is attaining in some de- 
gree " the mind which was also 
in Christ Jesus." 



Is it not time that the error of Earnest and 
the ages be uncovered and re- faithful en- 
moved, and that mortals be nece ssary 
shown their way out of bondage to s ai| * 
into the freedom that God in- 
tends for them? If we wish to 
gain success and happiness, we 
must not only be willing to leave 
our old ways of thinking, but we 
must be obedient to the law of 
right thinking. If we would 
{»] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

overcome some peculiar trait or 
habit, we must be constant, per- 
sistent, earnest and conscientious 
in our efforts. " By denying 
ungodliness " and by holding 
the perfect condition in our 
thought and working cheerfully 
and faithfully to gain it, we 
shall win. Each of us has work 
to do in overcoming the habit of 
careless thought with thoughts 
of health, love and purity. We 
cannot afford to be apathetic or 
slothful in our efforts. If we are 
obedient and faithful, we shall 
find our reward in character, 
poise, wisdom, health, wealth, pu- 
rity, and self-control under God. 
Knowing that our thoughts and 
purposes are right, brings us 
that consciousness of peace and 
satisfaction which nothing else 
can give — the consciousness that 
trusts all with God. 
[6] 



THIN KING HEAVENWARD 

rt Go and sell that thou hast." The mental 
These words were uttered to the separation, 
young man who desired to enter 
the heavenly kingdom. The 
same voice is speaking to us 
to-day. Go and sell, part with, 
get rid of, whatever separates 
you from good, from right 
thinking. We must part with 
arrogance, prejudice, stubborn- 
ness, self-will and superstition, if 
we would become as a little child; 
if we would enter the kingdom, 
the abode of right thinking, the 
realization of peace and har- 
mony. 

Why is it that when we ask a , . 

J Seeking 

person what his idea of God is, first the 
where heaven is, or some other ing om ' 
pertinent religious question, he 
changes color, looks uneasy, and 
evidently wishes that he was else- 
where? Is it not because he has 
[7] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

not a satisfied thought regard- 
ing these subjects? Should we 
ask a musician a question re- 
garding music, he would prob- 
ably return to us a prompt re- 
ply. Why? Because he has 
studied music; he understands it 
and is therefore capable of an 
intelligent reply. Should not 
the man who has given time to 
music, to mathematics, to art, to 
natural science, much more give 
time to the understanding of 
God? Should he not take time 
to consider the problem of man's 
origin and destiny? God is the 
author of all, the Creator of the 
universe and man, the one Sub- 
stance, Power, Love, and Intel- 
ligence. It behooves us to " seek 
first the kingdom (knowledge) 
of God," and with this spiritual 
seeking and finding, all else will 
" be added unto us." 

[8] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

Why do many people refuse 
to unite with a church? Because strabie 
the creeds of the churches do not * ell g 10I J 

demanded. 

satisfy their longings. They de- 
sire a practical religion, one that 
can be lived seven days of a week 
instead of one day — a religion 
that will lift them out of their 
sorrow, heal them of their dis- 
eases, and deliver them from their 
sins. They hunger for a relig- 
ion that will teach them how to 
stop sinning, instead of a relig- 
ion that admonishes them not to 
sin. The progressive thought of 
to-day demands more than the 
dogmatic theology which has 
been substituted for the teach- 
ings of the Master. 

The truth of these words from 

Overcoming 

Archbishop Whately is unques- hate with 
tionable: "Ten thousand of the love - 
greatest faults in our neighbors 

[•] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

are of less consequence to us than 
one of the smallest in ourselves." 
Let us not hold thoughts of ani- 
mosity or revenge toward those 
who have wronged us ; rather let 
our minds be so full of love for 
all that there will be no room for 
error of any kind. " Love is the 
fulfilling (the filling full) of 
God's law." Love is the law of 
heaven, and " everyone that lov- 
eth is born of God and knoweth 
God." It is easy to love those 
who love us ; but our love should 
not cease there, " for if ye love 
them which love you, what thank 
have ye? " 

If someone thinks wrong 
about us and manifests this 
thought in an unkindly way, 
how are we to overcome such in- 
justice? Certainly not by re- 
turning hate, but by giving love. 

[10] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

If we put out of our own con- 
sciousness all thoughts other than 
love, and manifest this love — 
God's love — toward our brother 
or sister, the unkindly thought 
will cease, and we not only have 
gained a friend, but have done 
a work for our own spiritual 
growth and for humanity. 

Let us reverse the tendency 
to cover our own errors and to 
expose the errors of our neigh- bu8iness 
bors. Let us cease beholding 
the mote (sliver) that is in our 
brother's eye while entertaining 
a beam in our own. Let us ex- 
amine ourselves daily to see how 
much of error there is in our 
thought, and let us daily strive 
to overcome it. Let us confess 
our faults, repent of them, and 
forsake them; for thus, and thus 
only, do we attain progress. 
[11] 



Minding 
our own 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

How many of us are prone to 
see faults in our neighbors and 
then seek to expose them? How 
many of us take it upon our- 
selves to criticise the actions of 
others, repeat idle gossip, and sit 
in judgment on our neighbors? 
If we are doing these things, 
let us stop it. Let us refuse 
to think or utter an unkind 
thought. " If any man among 
you seem to be religious, and 
bridleth not his tongue, . . . this 
man's religion is vain." As we 
are harshly condemning others, 
it would be well for us to pause 
and consider the sayings : "Judge 
not, and ye shall not be judged: 
condemn not, and ye shall not 
be condemned. For with what 
judgment ye judge, ye shall be 
judged; and with what measure 
ye mete, it shall be measured to 
you again." 

[13] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

Do we know under just what With all 
conditions our neighbors are la- our getting 
boring? Are we quite sure that C h a rity. e 
were we placed under the same 
conditions we might not see 
things in a different light? 
What one of us is wise enough 
to say whether or not another 
has done what was best under 
his circumstances? We think 
that we would do better were 
we in his position, but how little 
we may know of the struggles 
that he may be having, the bur- 
den that he may be carrying, 
and the earnest efforts that he 
may be putting forth. Let us 
not be so anxious to hear of the 
conduct or business of another, 
but rather let our anxiety be for 
ourselves, lest we overlook the 
Golden Rule. Let our gaze be 
turned within and above, that 
we may make each day better 

[13] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

than yesterday, and continually 
feed our thought on the divine 
rules of Life. 



The right -^ we wou ^ cease criticising, 

antidote. let us learn to praise. If we feel 
tempted to speak disparagingly 
of others, let us instead utter 
some words of commendation or 
love. Let us work earnestly and 
persistently to overcome these 
errors, remembering that " not 
that which goeth into the mouth 
defileth the man, but that which 
cometh out of the mouth." 
Each one must evangelize self 
if he would know the joy of liv- 
ing ; if he would gain health and 
happiness. 

We should examine our con- 
duct in the common round of 
existence. Let us be kind in 
the face of provocation, patient 
when trying circumstances are 

[14] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

present, and calm amidst excite- 
ment. Above all, let us put on 
the robe of charity, gentleness, 
meekness and humility. Let us 
yield our thought to the divine 
government and thus consecrate 
ourselves to God. 

Let us not burden ourselves Evil 
unduly with what others may thoughts 
say or thmk regarding us ; 
rather let a deaf ear be turned 
to all utterances of unjust criti- 
cism. If we are free from the 
habit of criticising ourselves, and 
know that " no weapon formed 
against thee shall prosper," then 
indeed, shall we be at peace with 
ourselves and with the world. 
Let love alone fill our conscious- 
ness and radiate from it ; then we 
shall not only refrain from do- 
ing and thinking evil, but we 
shall forsake it. 

[15] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 



Forsaking 
our evil 
ways. 



If we look for imperfection 
we shall surely find it every- 
where, for while we entertain 
sin ourselves, we shall certainly 
imagine that we see it in others. 
The chronic critic is a menace to 
himself and to his associates. We 
should curb our words of fault- 
finding, our meddlesomeness, our 
desire to know of the business of 
others; for think you that any 
good will ever come out of such 
propensities? Shall we be help- 
ing others or helping ourself? 
The sooner we begin to think 
more about God and about the 
ideal man of His creating, and 
less about the mortal and false 
around us, the sooner shall we 
find the kingdom of heaven with- 
in us, and see good everywhere. 



Not words 
but deeds 

demanded. 



" Be ye doers of the word and 
not hearers only." Truly are 

[16] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

words without deeds but " as 
sounding brass or a tinkling 
cymbal." We must not only- 
know what is right and true, but 
we must live it and love it. The 
question is not, How much am 
I reading and studying the 
Bible? How much am I talk- 
ing to others about the beauty of 
the spiritual life? But rather is 
it, How much am I living the 
truth that I now understand? 
How much of sin am I remov- 
ing from my consciousness, that 
I may be able to think aright 
and help my brother? Let us 
have a heart to heart talk with 
ourselves. We need not be 
afraid to confess to ourselves 
just how much of sin we are 
believing in and practicing. If 
we know what is right, and if 
we do it not, it is sin. If we 
know that our thoughts about 

[17] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

our neighbor, whether he be 
friend, foe, husband, wife or 
brother, are not such thoughts 
that we should be willing to lay 
bare to the world, then they are 
sinful thoughts; and we may 
rest assured that we shall never 
enjoy true health or happiness 
until we forsake them, and re- 
place them with right thoughts. 
If we are entertaining certain 
thoughts which are sinful and 
give little heed to the loving 
counsel and admonition given to 
us by one who has seen our error 
and pointed it out to us, but 
rather continue in our wrong 
thinking and acting, we shall 
certainly be punished. Did not 
the great teacher Jesus say: 
" And that servant which knew 
his Lord's will and prepared not 
himself, neither did according 
to his will, shall be beaten with 

[18] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

many stripes"? Greater pun- 
ishment is received by the wil- 
ful sinner than by the ignorant 
sinner; for the Master adds: 
" But he that knew not, and 
did commit things worthy of 
stripes, shall be beaten with few 
stripes." The more we know of 
the path of true thinking, the 
more is required of us; and 
would we have it otherwise? 
Were we not punished for sin- 
ning, the world would be del- 
uged with sinners. It is a just 
and right law which punishes the 
wrong thinker, for if he will not 
willingly give up his wrong 
thought, he must expiate it 
through suffering. 



" Verily, verily, I say unto The wrong 
thee, Except a man be born C2 ^ n ^ 
again, he cannot see the king- enter 
dom of God." Except we be 

[19] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

regenerated through obedience 
to the divine utterances of the 
Christ, we cannot see, behold, or 
partake of heavenly good. It is 
imperative that mortals put off 
the sinful thoughts, lusts, and 
desires of the human mind, and 
yield obedience to Truth; for 
man can never understand God, 
nor enter His kingdom, while he 
believes in the reality of sin, sick- 
ness, and discord. The mental- 
ity must be cleansed, healed of 
wrong thinking, and the right 
thoughts take dominion, else the 
body will be sick, crimes will be 
committed, and disobedience to 
the law of God will continue. 

Sin is We must each work out our 

punished. 

own salvation, God working 
with us. Someone may help us 
along the way, may uncover the 
sin that we did not know was 

[20] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

binding us; someone may show 
us the open door through which 
we can gain our freedom; but no 
one can force or push us into 
glory. " For every man shall 
bear his own burden." " Every 
idle word that men speak, they 
shall give account thereof in the 
day of judgment." " For by 
thy words thou shalt be justified, 
and by thy words thou shalt be 
condemned.' ' The day of judg- 
ment is not in the hereafter, as 
many have believed. It is to- 
day, this very hour. For the 
idle or sinful thought which we 
uttered to-day, we may receive 
our punishment to-day, to-mor- 
row, or next year, but never- 
theless the judgment is to-day* 
In the very moment that sin is 
thought or committed, it is 
judged. Unless we see the sin 
and forsake it, punishment will 

[21] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

overtake us, and at a time per- 
haps least expected and least de- 
sired. Therefore let us choose 
to-day whom we shall serve. 



Willingness 
to forsake 
error. 



Let us strive for the true con- 
sciousness that " thinketh no 
evil"; then shall we gain in 
health, love, and good. The 
peace of God is the one thing 
worth having, and this we shall 
never gain while we harbor any 
thought toward our brother 
which we know God does not 
think toward him. If we would 
serve God, let us be willing to 
see our faults and our short- 
comings. Let us give heed to 
the voice that ever gently whis- 
pers, " Come unto me all ye that 
are weary and heavy laden and 
I will give you rest." " Whoso- 
ever will, let him take the water 
of life freely." 

[22] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

Dear reader, it rests with us Godour 

only Mind. 

whether or not we become free 
from sin, sickness, and discord. 
Sin is the root of all our trou- 
bles. The voice of Truth and 
Love is ever uttering itself to us 
as a still, small voice, ever bid- 
ding us rise from our belief in 
evil to the understanding of God 
as our only Mind. Man as the 
child of God reflects goodness, 
purity, and health, and has do- 
minion over " the world, the 
flesh and the devil." 

Let us know to-day that we ?* v ** lon A 

J is at nana. 

need not sin longer, we need not 
be sick longer, we need not de- 
spair longer. The ideal man, 
Christ Jesus, declared the way 
for us and showed us how to es- 
cape from bondage; and as we 
study the Bible with the light of 
spiritual understanding, we shall 

[23] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

find the perfect Father-Mother, 
God, and find our true self as 
God's own image. 



Sure re- 
ward of 
right 
thinking. 



If we are longing and wish- 
ing to be like somebody else, to 
have more of the pleasures that 
others seem to have, let us quiet 
such longings w r ith thoughts of 
gratitude and thankfulness for 
the blessings already given to us. 
Let us rejoice that we are living 
in the age of progress, and that 
we may be among the many who 
are learning every day that 
health, happiness, and prosper- 
itv are within the reach of all. 
We can live nobly, work joy- 
ously, and thus not only help 
ourselves, but help all mankind. 
Instead of wishing to do great 
things, let us work earnestly to 
overcome what we may term the 
smaller errors in ourselves. The 
[U] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

great Master said, " He that is 
faithful in that which is least is 
also faithful in that which is 
much." " If ye are faithful over 
a few things, I will make you 
ruler over many things." Jesus 
conquered every foe, overcame 
every obstacle, and we may have 
within us the mind that he had. 
We must have coin-age to perse- 
vere, and, with right thinking, 
victory is the inevitable result. 

Can victory be gained at once? Progress 

, ._ * • ,i i demanded. 

you ask. Progress is the law 
of life and it is through growth 
that we enter heaven. We must 
think our way into the kingdom. 
As the sunlight penetrates every 
nook and corner, and casts out 
darkness, so will thoughts of love 
and truth cast out the darkened 
thought of evil, and let in God's 
radiant light. Have we not glo- 

[25] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

rious opportunities before us, 
and should we not awaken to 
them? We can all learn to think 
rightly. We are thinking some- 
thing all the time, either truth or 
error; therefore, let us heed the 
admonition of Paul: "Finally, 
brethren, whatsoever things are 
honest, whatsoever things are 
pure, whatsoever things are 
lovely, whatsoever things are of 
good report ; if there be any vir- 
tue, and if there be any praise, 
think on these things." 



Let us strive vigilantly and 



Salvation 
through 

reform. courageously to eradicate what- 

ever errors may be keeping 
us from right thinking. Do 
you say that you are discour- 
aged? that you have striven for 
patience, for endurance, for 
strength, for spirituality, and 
have failed? God's Word is 

[26 j 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

true, and truth cannot be re- 
versed. " Whatsoever a man 
soweth that shall he also reap." 
We may not reap to-day's sow- 
ing to-morrow, nor next week, 
but every right thought does 
help us on our journey heaven- 
ward; its good is never lost and 
does bring us nearer perfection. 
Let us not go back to our old 
ways of thinking because we do 
not see immediate results from 
our faithful strivings. Let us 
ever look up and rejoice, and 
" not be weary in well-doing ; for 
in due season we shall reap, if 
we faint not." Jesus said, " No 
man, having put his hand to the 
plough, and looking back, is fit 
for the kingdom of God." So 
he who turns again to error for 
consolation, after having par- 
ticipated from Truth's fountain, 
is not ready to hear the words, 

[27] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 



Patient 

working 

and 

waiting. 



" Thou hast been faithful over 
a few things, I will make thee 
ruler over many things." 

Let us walk nearer and nearer 
in the footsteps of our dear Mas- 
ter and his disciples, constantly 
refreshing our thoughts from 
the living waters, endeavoring 
to forget our crosses in helping 
others bear theirs. Should we 
feel that we are not advancing 
as rapidly as we would like to 
advance, let us not be gloomy or 
cast down; rather let us mani- 
fest greater activity than ever, 
working with renewed interest 
and vigor, and we shall win, for 
our reward is as sure as our ex- 
istence. These few words of 
Longfellow are ever comforting: 

Let us then be up and doing, 
With a heart for any fate ; 

Still achieving, still pursuing, 
Learn to labor and to wait. 
[28] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 



Let us strive to progress in con- 
centration, in power, in alertness, 
in persistency, in faith, love, ar- 
dor, liberality, and spirituality. 

Many of us have severe les- Lea™tag 

J , to-day's 

sons to learn while endeavoring lesson, 
to overcome the wrong with the 
right. We shall have to learn 
to receive merited rebuke with 
gratitude; to receive unmerited 
blame without loss of temper 
and with self-control; to be 
told of our faults without feel- 
ing resentment; to achieve suc- 
cess without false pride and 
vain-glory. We must learn to 
acknowledge with love and 
warmth the good work of our 
neighbors; to be misjudged and 
condemned without feelings of 
discouragement and self-pity ; 
to be reviled and not revile 
again; to forgive and forget all 

[29] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

sins committed against us. Let 
us begin to-day to think heaven- 
ward and the way will grow 
ever brighter even " unto the 
perfect day." Let us silently 
declare that the divine Wisdom 
reigns in our thought; that the 
one God, the one Mind, is ever- 
present; and that "there is no 
power but of God." Let us 
maintain a perfect mental poise, 
remembering that Truth de- 
mands of us only the thoughts 
of to-day. If we live in the pres- 
ent moment, vesterdav's failures 
will be forgotten, and to-mor- 
row's burden will not be added 
to our cares. We reflect Life, 
Truth, and Love and have do- 
minion; therefore, let us exer- 
cise it. Let our hearts, warmed 
with gratitude and love, ever 
turn to our Maker for the true 
substance, " the bread from 

[30 1 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

Heaven," and the great Heart 
of divine Love will reward our 
unselfish and faithful efforts 
with that peace which the world 
ean neither give nor take away. 
Our heavenly Father is the 
" Shepherd and Bishop " of our 
souls, satisfying the starved de- 
sires, strengthening the feeble 
courage, and giving impartial 
good to all. 

Since God is Love, and God, Sin and 
Love, fills all space, we should *^ b * 88 
therefore remember that sin and destroyed, 
sickness are not real or eternal, 
and have no rightful place in 
our thoughts. Let us put out 
the thought of sickness and hold 
the thought of health; put out 
the thought of hate, jealousy 
and revenge, and hold the 
thought of love. We should 
give up our stubbornness, our 

[31] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

temper, our bitterness, and our 
self-will, and let our thoughts 
reflect upon the good, pure and 
true. We must bear in mind 
that God gave us dominion over 
all things. Since sin and disease 
are not of God, and have no 
God-given principle or power, 
we need not fear them nor be 
subject to them; but we can with 
Truth overcome them. 



Health a 
condition 
of thought. 



Health is one of the results of 
right thinking, — the knowing of 
the truth about God and man. 
Purification of thought is neces- 
sary to the right understanding 
of God and man. Seeing God 
as He is, — omniscience, omni- 
presence, and omnipotence, — 
and understanding that man is 
made in God's image, opens the 
door of thought to health and 
harmony. " The people which 

[32] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 



sat in darkness saw great light 
(the light of spiritual under- 
standing). " If we would have 
health and happiness we must 
give up wrong thoughts for 
right and true thoughts; thus 
will " a new heaven and a new 
earth " appear. The law of 
God is the law of health and 
holiness, as Jesus proved; and as 
he applied this truth mentally, 
so must we apply it to-day. 
Sin, sickness, and death have no 
place in God's consciousness, and 
should have no place in ours. 

If you are borne down with Allevil6 

can be 

sickness, with sin, or with sor- destroyed 
row, and think that God has ***** 

Christ- 
aught to do with it, you are Truth. 

under an illusion. These condi- 
tions are wholly the results of 
sin, fear or ignorance; and you 
can destroy these conditions by 

[33] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

using the truth that Jesus taught. 
Hear these words of the Way- 
shower: " He that believeth on 
me (understands Truth), the 
works that I do shall he do also." 
The promises of the Bible are 
true to-day and can be relied 
upon. Truly is it God " who 
forgiveth all thine iniquities; 
who healeth all thy diseases." 



Wrong 
thinking 
creates 
disease. 



How many people in our 
land, think you, are spending 
time in talking about sickness 
and who take a special interest 
in pouring into the ears of their 
friends graphic descriptions of 
each ache and pain that is mani- 
fested in their bodies? How 
many are allowing thoughts of 
disease, sin, accidents, and death 
to be constantly voiced in the 
home? Do you not know that 
these unhealthful and abnor- 

[34] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

mal thoughts create fear, sick- 
ness, and discord? Banish such 
thoughts from the home, and in 
their stead seek to have normal, 
healthy, and happy thoughts 
uttered. 

Fear is one of the weeds Results 
which needs to be ejected from offear - 
our mental garden. And what 
are people afraid of? We all 
know people who are afraid of 
food, of climate, of heat, of cold, 
of water germs, air germs, and 
food germs. They are afraid to 
eat, and afraid not to eat ; afraid 
to sleep, and afraid to stay 
awake; afraid to stay in the 
house, and afraid to go out- 
doors; afraid to drink the water 
boiled, and afraid to drink it 
unless it is boiled. They are 
afraid to live; afraid to die; 
afraid of man; afraid of the 

[35] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

devil; afraid of God. These 
dear ones need to read and study 
well such words as these: " Thou 
wilt keep him in perfect peace 
whose mind is stayed on thee." 
" Nothing shall by any means 
hurt you." Really, man's only 
safety lies in good thoughts, — in 
a spiritual consciousness. The 
belief that there is reality in 
sickness, sin, and death, will dis- 
appear as we become more fully 
conscious of our relationship to 
God. Let us see to it that the 
meditation of our hearts as well 
as the words of our mouths glor- 
ify our Father-Mother, God. 
Let us be lovable in our disposi- 
tions; honorable in all our deal- 
ings; and charitable to all. Let 
us continually radiate thoughts 
of love, cheerfulness, and holi- 
ness ; then into our lives will flow 
life's sweetest blessings. 

[36] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 



There is a story told of an in- Cause and 
experienced carpet layer filling ef 5 e< jf 
his mouth so full of tacks that, mental, 
while working, he inadvertently 
swallowed one of them. He be- 
came intensely frightened and 
hastened to a friend experienced 
in this line of work. The friend 
listened to his hurried tale, 
laughed at his fears, and merely 
said : " Oh, that is nothing. I 
swallow many tacks every day 
and I never think about them." 
The young man departed great- 
ly relieved and gave the matter 
no further thought. How dif- 
ferent would have been the re- 
sult had the friend told him that 
he was in great danger; had he 
told him that he had heard 
about many men who had died 
from swallowing tacks and 
other such objects. We can- 
not be too watchful in overcom- 
[37] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

ing fear in every form in which 
it presents itself to us ; for surely 
the Bible is right in saying, 
" Fear hath torment." If we 
really know that God did not 
make fear, and did not make 
anything for us to be afraid of, 
then we shall acquire calm and 
peace. 

Giving We all know how easy it is to 

loving reply to another in the same 

manner, or tone of voice, that he 
uses. If our friend appears 
haughty, we may try to be 
haughtier. If his voice is un- 
kind, we are not so careful of 
our own. Even children are af- 
fected in the same way. If we 
speak kindly and lovingly to 
them, they are likely to respond 
in the same spirit, whereas dif- 
ferent results may be apparent 
if our voices be other than kind 

[38] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

and gentle. The writer knows 
of a father who impatiently told 
his little five-year-old daughter 
of her faults, and endeavored to 
impress upon her mind that she 
would grow up to be a naughty 
girl. The little one replied, with 
flashing eyes: "Well, what did 
you born me for? " Had the 
father lovingly and gently told 
the child of her faults and helped 
her to correct them, such an out- 
burst of temper would not have 
occurred. We should not seek 
to antagonize, but seek to help 
each other. 

Someone has said, " Be good, Evil 
and you'll be happy; but you'll ple * sures 

of no 

miss a lot of fun." Such a sen- advantage 
timent is not the truth. A great 
many people, when they become 
religious, put on long faces, and 
lay aside many of the harmless 

[39] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

pleasures and joys of life. We 
need not be excluded from harm- 
less and innocent fun or amuse- 
ment ; but the so-called pleasures 
belonging to evil are not good 
and cannot make us happy. 
Their seeming pleasure is not 
lasting and must inevitably end 
in suffering. Let us love the 
good, the pure, and true. Let 
us exchange the pleasures of the 
human mind for joys that are 
lasting. Those who dwell ' in 
the secret place of the most High 
(secret, or apart from all evil)' 5 
feel the peace of ever-present 
Love and entertain unspeakable 
joy and harmony. Let us spend 
more of our time in thinking of 
spiritual things and let us give 
less time to the material; for 
" every knee shall bow to me " 
and " all shall know me, from 
the least to the greatest." 

[40] 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

The world will be regener- Perfection 

. 1 -i -n *i i n established. 

ated; good will prevail; and all 
evil, hate, disease, and death will 
pass away before the spiritual 
vision of the new heaven and 
new earth. Let it be said of us 
that " whatsoever we ask, we re- 
ceive of Him because we keep 
His commandments, and do 
those things that are pleasing in 
His sight." 

'And an highway shall be 
there, . . . and it shall be called 
The Way of Holiness; . . . 
the redeemed shall walk there; 
. . . they shall obtain joy and 
gladness, and sorrow and sigh- 
ing shall flee away." 

Do you still ask, How can this The ideal 
be? The Revelator tells us that 
"he that overcometh shall be 
clothed in white raiment." To 

[41] 



FED 18 1913 



THINKING HEAVENWARD 

eradicate wrong thinking and all 
its attending evils and to usher 

in the religion of Love the 

realization of health, harmony, 
and happiness — was the mission 
of Christ Jesus, the great Teach- 
er. So do we see "even the mys- 
tery which hath been hid from 
ages and from generations, but 
now is made manifest." 




[42] 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: April 2006 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 

rVanhprrv Tnwnshin PA 1 fiOfifi 



I ' / 



ifTH 



